Louisiana, Appellant v. Phillip Callais, et al.

The case asked whether Louisiana unconstitutionally used race when it created a second majority-Black congressional district after a federal court said its earlier map likely violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The Supreme Court said Louisiana's SB8 map was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander because Section 2, properly read, did not require the state to add that district.

The Court affirmed and remanded, saying Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act did not require Louisiana to create an additional majority-minority district, so the state lacked a compelling interest for drawing District 6 that way. The prompt does not provide the vote count or opinion authorship.

Majority

Alito

Roberts

Thomas

Gorsuch

Kavanaugh

Barrett

Dissent

Kagan

Sotomayor

Jackson

The decision limits how far states can go in using race to redraw congressional lines, even when they are trying to comply with federal voting-rights law. In Louisiana, state election officials and voters may now face another round of map drawing before future House elections.

The case returns to the lower court for further proceedings under the Supreme Court's ruling. Louisiana officials will likely need to use or draw a different congressional map, and election administrators will prepare for future elections under whatever plan is approved next.

The fight was over whether Louisiana's second majority-Black district was a lawful response to the Voting Rights Act or an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.

Louisiana may need a different congressional map, which could change district lines and the candidates voters see in future U.S. House elections.

The case goes back to the lower court. State officials and election administrators must follow that court's next orders on a replacement or approved map.